


like they used to on Old Earth

by burglebezzlement



Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: F/M, Going to Baltimore, Human-Caylon relationships pose unique complications, Pre-meeting the family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-12 20:14:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21231689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burglebezzlement/pseuds/burglebezzlement
Summary: As an artificial lifeform, Isaac is above such petty biological concerns as worry.As a biological lifeform, Claire knows him better than that.





	like they used to on Old Earth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SadieFlood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieFlood/gifts).

Isaac stands at the shuttle entrance.

To anyone else — anyone not from the Orville — his posture would be unremarkable, overshadowed by the sight of a Caylon, a real-life actual Caylon, on Earth. But Claire knows Isaac better than anyone. She can read his minute hesitation. The angle of his head. 

Claire grins. “Scared?”

“Being scared is for biological organisms.” Isaac leaves the shuttle. “The City of Baltimore offers no realistic threats for me.”

Claire takes his hand as they leave the shuttle landing zone.

“Are you scared?” Isaac asks. “My current algorithms on interpersonal relationships indicate that hand-holding is motivated by fear.”

“Of my family?” Claire laughs. “I probably should be. Did I tell you they promoted my sister? She’s Commander of Outpost 22 now. Terrifying.”

“I have an alert on the name Finn,” Isaac says. “Based on contextual data, I estimated that there was an 85% probability that the Commander Finn promoted to Outpost 22 Commander was your relative, but only a 35% probability that she was your sister.”

“You’ve been doing your research.” Claire holds his hand tighter.

Isaac doesn’t say anything as they walk down the sidewalk together, past the brick rowhouses Claire remembers from her childhood.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the boys again,” Claire says. Ty and Marcus always spend a couple weeks of Earth summer with their grandmother, getting to know family and all the places Claire loved as a child on Earth. Usually Claire tries to spend a week of that time with them, but the Orville’s mission schedule made that impossible this year. Instead, she and Isaac are spending a long weekend with her family before returning to the ship. 

Isaac nods. “Yes. Their absence has been… distracting.”

He’s quiet for a long moment.

Claire stops and looks at him. “Are you worried?”

“I have no worry subroutines.”

Claire waits.

“I find myself reprocessing the question of what will happen if your family disapproves of me,” Isaac says, finally. “The models I have developed do not offer a satisfactory answer, and yet I find myself compelled to re-process the question.”

“Sounds like worry to me.” 

“A relationship with a Caylon offers a number of challenges,” Isaac says. “I have no reason to believe your relatives are unusually irrational by the standards of biological beings. The rational course would be to advise you to give up on this endeavor.”

“Good thing humans aren’t rational,” Claire says. “My family might not approve, but they won’t talk me out of anything.” She smiles. “And why do you think I let Ty and Marcus visit first? Those two will have been talking you up to everyone in the family.”

“I see.” Isaac is quiet again, but something in the way he stands has eased. He inclines his head. “I would sacrifice a great deal,” he says. “To keep you and Marcus and Ty in my life.”

The weight of Caylon hangs between them.

“I know,” Claire says. She leans in and kisses him on the cheek. “You’re family, Isaac.” Family, and — to her — something more.


End file.
